This section covers various activities, methods, etc., that, according to
current and former DXM users, enhance the DXM experience. Some readers may
wonder about the appopriateness of this section, given that I do try to
discourage DXM abuse. Let me respond to any potential objections by saying
that I believe that safe, responsible use of DXM is possible and should be
encouraged. I believe that some people will do psychedelics whether one
wants them to or not, so it's better to give everyone the opportunity to have
a safe and rewarding experience.

Let me go even further out onto the thin ice here and state that I believe
that all psychedelics have a place in exploration of spirituality and
consciousness, when used by mature and responsible individuals. Most
Western cultures shun the psychedelic experience, and I believe this is
unfortunate. While I don't think psychedelics will give you special
abilities, they do allow you to tap into abilities that you didn't know
you had. The key is to remember that they are only tools and should be
used as a means to an end, not an end in and of themselves.

Okay, I've babbled long enough. Here are some suggestions from DXM users
on rewarding activities to combine with DXM.

The best advice I can pass along to you about enjoying DXM is not to overdo
it. Overusing any psychedelic will transform the magickal into the mundane.
Don't try to repeat a given trip, or to hold on to something that happened
before; trip experiences, like lovers, are always lacking when revisited.

Additionally, you must be emotionally and mentally prepared for DXM. No
drug can give you what you don't already have inside yourself, and if you
are lacking in worldly experience, your psychedelic experiences may seem
hollow and stereotypical. I know we live in a culture of instant
gratification, but the old saying does hold true with psychedelics: good
things come to those who wait.

Try to give some thought to why you are taking DXM. Perhaps it is for
self-exploration, as a group experience, to immerse yourself in a natural
(or unnatural) environment, or simply to gain a new perspective on
something. Whatever the reason, make sure you have one; if you just want
a "buzz", go to Amsterdam and smoke marijuana. Psychedelics should be
used with respect and reverence for what they show us.

I know not everyone is going to follow this advice, and, well, that's your
choice. Perhaps for you, psychedelics can be used casually or even daily.
Not everyone is wired the same. Just be careful, please. Insanity isn't
nearly as fun as it is portrayed.

This section lists some things that various people have done on
DXM that they have enjoyed. Note that not everyone will agree,
and some of these activities may be unpleasant to some. Activities
that are pleasant at one dosage may not be so at another.

Probably the most common fun thing to do on DXM, especially at
lower doses, is listen to music. Even at higher doses, music
can be quite enjoyable, and will often induce fantastic closed-eye
visions and hallucinations.
Many people have in fact reported they were unable to hallucinate
without music. Some use music to help create an imaginary setting
for their hallucinatory experiences. Why music enhances the DXM
experience so much, I don't know; other dissociatives don't seem
to go nearly as well with music.

As for what music is best, that's a matter of personal opinion.
Some prefer classical music, saying it brings a transcendent
feeling and visions of flight. Rave and techno music are also
popular, possibly because of the strong, regular beat. Ambient
seems popular, especially towards the end of DXM trips, where
it has a soothing effect. Really, though, a lot has to do with
what you like.

Many people enjoy watching movies on DXM, typically at first to
upper second plateau levels (beyond that it becomes difficult to
process visual information). It seems that some types of movies
lend themselves particularly well to DXM, and when viewed, the DXM user
finds himself or herself totally immersed in the movie environment,
up to the point of perceiving the smells and tastes of that environment,
and empathizing with the characters. DXM can transform a movie from
something you watch to something you experience directly.

Movies which go well with DXM typically have simple plots but can have
very complex environments. Sometimes the best DXM movies have no plot
at all (e.g., Koyaanisqatsi, which is a series of montages and
images which form a coherent, simple, and in some ways disturbingly
beautiful theme). Movies that are highly archetypical in nature (such
as Excalibur, as well as many Westerns) also go well with DXM.
One person reported that old B-movie Sci-Fi thrillers, horror flicks,
and the like also go well with DXM and become much more fun.

One final word of advice. Since DXM impairs the ability to form long-term
memories, expect to be horribly confused unless you've seen the movie
before. So if you want to watch a movie on DXM, it might be a good idea
to watch it sober a day or two before, and give your mind time to become
familiar with the plot.

Recently someone pointed out to me that, like other psychedelics, DXM
lends itself well to making music. Now, keep in mind that the music
may not sound like much to anyone else; I suspect that psychedelic
music-making is a type of feedback loop by which unconscious thoughts
and impulses can be brought into the conscious mind. Whatever the
reason, it does seem to be enjoyable to many.

Many people enjoy dancing on DXM, usually at the first plateau
and somewhat less commonly on the second. Third and fourth plateau
doses of DXM are almost certainly not compatible with dancing
(or most other motor skills). Raves
are the most common DXM dancing event, although I see no reason
why any other type of dance couldn't be enjoyable as well.

Please note that, as with any dissociative anesthetic, DXM can
make you less aware of overexertion, leaving you with a generally
sore body the next day. Also, as with any stimulant, take care
not to overheat or become dehydrated.

A few users have reported that swimming on a first plateau DXM
trip is an ecstatic experience. Evidently, the regular, rhythmic
motions of lap swimming go well with DXM's rhythmic nature, and
the feeling of the water supporting the body provides a deep sense
of calm. There should be little danger with swimming on a first
plateau DXM dose, although higher doses could become quite dangerous.
Overexertion is always a possibility, but
fortunately swimming's low-impact nature may minimize some potential
injuries. In any case, if you do decide to try swimming on DXM,
never swim alone.

One of the characteristics of the NMDA/sigma class of psychedelics
is the ability of people tripping together to synchronize their
experiences as they discuss them. This is not unique to DXM;
ketamine users have noted the same effect, and although I have
no reports I'm certain PCP would act similarly.

Group use of DXM was fairly common among some members of the hardcore
warehouse subculture in the 1980's in the USA. People
would decide on a "destination" or goal for their trips
(which some called "vacations"), and choose music, decorations,
and other stimuli to match the destination. Destinations ranged
from the specific to the mythological (e.g., Hell). Talking during
the trip helped maintain synchronization. Most of the time, the
environment (sights, sounds, smells, etc.) was carefully crafted
to fit the destination.

If you are planning a group DXM trip, it might be
a good idea to make sure that everyone is experienced with DXM
beforehand, so that they know what to expect. Try to adjust dosage
for everyone to place everyone at roughly the same place in the
same plateau (group tripping seems most effective at the upper
second plateau). If desired, pick a destination beforehand, and
adjust your setting to match. Be wary of intense or potentially
unpleasant destinations (the "vacation to Hell" mentioned
above was undertaken by very experienced DXM users). Try to make
sure everyone stays together; many people have reported that having
someone leave can ruin the experience. And above all, make sure
someone sober is available to watch over you and make sure nothing
goes wrong.

Dissociatives seem to lend themselves to paranormal experiences, and
there are some very mundane, physiological explanations for this. Whether
you accept the validity of these experiences or not, they tend to be
interesting, to say the least. An entire chapter of the FAQ is devoted
to the connection between DXM and paranormal experiences; see
Section 8.

Many DXM users have told me that DXM allows them to detatch themselves
from the unconscious influences in conversation and social interaction,
and to perceive these consciously. One person remarked that, while on
DXM, sober people's actions and words ranged from obviously deceptive
to downright silly, and were enormously interesting to observe. I
suspect that, by altering the "automatic" or unconscious perception of
social cues, DXM may allow these cues to enter conscious awareness.

Since DXM becomes increasingly hard on the body and brain as the dosage
increases, it is generally a good idea to make as much as you can out of
a given dose. Here I offer the suggestions of various DXM users on tools
to enhance the depth or intensity of the trip. These are especially
useful at obtaining upper plateau effects from lower plateau dosages.

Many of the interesting effects from DXM occur due to an inhibition of
sensory input, and a subsequent feedback loop that separates the conscious
mind from the senses and body. Although one can obtain this from a high
enough dose of DXM, it is also possible to boost the effects of a low dose
using sensory deprivation, which generally increases the frequency of
paranormal and altered state experiences (332,338).

For the ultimate in sensory deprivation, nothing beats a floatation tank.
Popularized by John Lilly, floatation or sensory deprivation tanks are
essentially nothing more than big boxes filled with water which has been
saturated with about a half a ton (450 kg) of epsom salts. You lie down
in the water (in which you float, thanks to the epsom salts), close the
cover, and relax, and find yourself cut off from all sensory input.

Unfortunately, float tanks don't come cheap. The low-end models typically
start at $2000; the high-end models (which come with temperature control,
built in stereo sound and video screens, etc.) are considerably more
expensive ($4000 and up). If you have that kind of money, call Tools
for Exploration, a company dedicated to exploration of consciousness;
their phone number is 1-800-456-9887 (I have no affiliation with them).

For those without that kind of money but with good carpentry skills, you
can of course build your own. Keep in mind that you can't just throw
together a box and expect it to hold the stress imposed by the water
(not to mention you). I'm not particularly good with carpentry, so I'm
not going to even make suggestions here. But I do know it can be done,
as I have spoken with someone who built his own float tank for $300 (not
including the cost of the epsom salts). One warning, though: if you plan
on putting in a water heating system, make good and goddamned sure it runs
off a low-voltage supply and is protected by a ground-fault interrupt
device. If this is meaningless to you, leave it to a qualified
electrician.

Okay, so you're neither rich nor a carpenter, but still want to play with
sensory deprivation. Here are a few suggestions.

Take a warm (not hot) bath in a dark room. You can experiment
with various essential oils to provide an olfactory sensorium,
or just use water. This is actually fairly effective from all
accounts, but make sure there isn't so much water that you could
pass out and drown. Keeping someone with you might be a good
idea.

Get yourself a pair of good quality earplugs. The foam kind you
can buy at the drugstore are OK, but there are better ones available
which will block out more sound. This will help with sensory
deprivation.

Find someplace nice and comfortable and lie down. After awhile,
your brain will become used to the unchanging tactile input and
you'll be able to ignore it.

Instead of sensory deprivation, try a ganzfeld (see the
next section).

There is one major problem to sensory deprivation, which is that even in
conditions of total darkness and silence, one will typically continue to
perceive sight (phosphenes) and sound (tinnitus, or ringing in the ears).
There are numerous causes for this, but it all boils down to the fact that
as you boost the gain on any sensory detection system (natural or
artificial), you end up with more and more noise.

When scientists were studying psychic phenomena, they ran into this problem,
and rather than using drugs to enhance sensory cutoff, they chose to take
a different approach: the ganzfeld. A ganzfeld, (literally,
"total field") is a set of constant, predictable sensory inputs. In a
typical ganzfeld experiment, the subject is placed in a comfortable chair
in an isolated room, with translucent filters placed over his or her eyes,
and a dim, constant light source (usually red). Sound may be absent, or
white noise may be used.

This sounds a lot more expensive than it usually is. In many experiments
(remember, this is often on the fringes of science, so budgets aren't
terribly high), the "translucent filters" are ping-pong (table tennis)
balls cut in two, and the white noise is provided by an AM radio.

This is surprisingly easy to recreate in the comfort of your own home. Buy
a pack of (white) ping-pong balls, and cut one in half. Let it sit open
for a few days to let the ubiquitous "ping-pong ball smell" dissipate. Tape
over the sharp edges of the half ping-pong balls with
transparent tape over the edges so there are no sharp edgesPlace
a comfy chair in the center of a room, and place a few dim, red bulbs in the
lights. Get yourself an AM radio and tune it to a nonexistent station to
provide a white noise, and turn the volume down to where it is comfortable.
Sit down in the comfy chair, adjust it to where you can totally relax, and
place the two ping pong balls over your closed eyes.

This does seem to work, although not as well as a sensory deprivation
tank. The going theory among most researchers with whom I've spoken is that
the sensory networks typically create internal models of the external world
and only report when things change. In other words, you perceive not the
external world, but the difference between your internal world and the
sensory input. As long as sensory input stays exactly the same, the
sensory networks don't really generate much output, and the conscious mind
is once again left alone to do its own thing.

Light and Sound Machines are devices which use flashing light and
sounds to induce changes in brainwave activity. The simplest of these,
costing as little as $20, consists of a bunch of LEDs hooked up to a timer
chip with a potentiometer for you to adjust the flashing frequency. The
most complex of these (I've seen them list for as much as $500) are full-
fledged portable computers which can independently control multicolored lights
for each eye, as well as stereo headphones. Some of them allow you to plug
in your own music, and will layer the brainwave beat frequency on top of it.

These are available from a number of sources, including the aforementioned
Tools for Exploration (call for their catalog), "new age" stores,
science stores, and of course on the Internet. To some degree you get what
you pay for, but keep in mind that not everyone responds to these gadgets,
and you may be better off not forking over the big bucks until you're sure
it will be worth it. There's also a shareware program for PC's called
"flasher" (see Section 7.4.5) which does the same sort of thing.

The theory on these devices is this. What we call "brainwaves" are
the overall resonant properties of neural networks which, to a
certain extent, behave like oscillators. Like most oscillators, these
can be driven externally, and in this case, the best way to do so is
via the eyes and ears. Flashing lights are known to affect brainwave
activity, as are pulsing sounds (especially when a beat frequency is
applied between the two ears). Epileptics are particularly susceptible
to this, and most people are susceptible to the so-called "photic driving"
effect, which can induce nausea and confusion using only flashing light
and sound.

In other words, flashing lights and pulsing sounds can potentiate
oscillations in the brain's neural networks in much the same way that one
pushes a child on a swing. At precisely the right moment, a little push
adds to the energy of the oscillator and keeps it going. Light and Sound
machines apply just the right push at the right time to enhance brainwave
activity in particular frequencies.

Using these devices, one can potentiate activity at various brainwave
frequencies. Thus far the most commonly discussed brainwave frequencies
(or more accurately frequency ranges) are alpha, theta, beta, delta, and
sigma. The presence or absence of a given brainwave frequency is an
indication of mental state, and by inducing brainwave activity, one can
enhance those mental states.

A quick over-simplified summary of brainwave bands:

Alpha waves range from 8 to 12 Hz (cycles per second).
Alpha waves appear to be associated with meditative and hypnotic
states and sleep. One study on brainwaves and golf (356) found
that alpha activity seems to be a good predictor for accurate
putting; others have suggested that alpha waves tend to occur
while one is absorbed in physical or mental tasks.

Beta waves range from 20 to 28 Hz and appear to be
associated with active concentration and thought.

Theta waves range from 3 to 8 Hz, and seem to arise from a
hippocampal circuit, possibly with the help of a circuit
in the brainstem (358). Theta waves tend to decrease
immediately before volitional movements, and are probably
an indicator of a closed feedback loop in the limbic system.
The theta rhythm may help to encode spatial and/or temporal
information (359).
Interestingly, the prohormone DHEA increases theta activity
(357).

Gamma waves, 30Hz and above, may reflect certain aspects
of the cognitive process.

The two important brainwave bands for DXM users are theta and alpha.
Light and/or sound stimulation at these frequencies has been reported to
induce a variety of interesting altered states of consciousness which are,
for the most part, indescribable.

Theta stimulation in particular has been reported to generate fantastic
results. Here is a description of one person's DXM plus theta stimulation
experience:

I used the program "FLASHER" set at 6Hz, turned off the lights, and
stared at the screen. At first it just looked like a big flashing
computer screen, but gradually I noticed that I was perceiving the
light and dark phases separately. The flashes seemed to get brighter
and brighter, and last longer and longer. Everything kept building up
in intensity, and it was starting to get somewhat scary, when all of
a sudden the flashing just ... stopped. It was all white light, and
I felt my soul being tugged out of my body. From then on it got
really weird ...

WARNING: Brainwave stimulation, especially in the alpha band, can
induce siezures in epileptics. If you are, or suspect you might be,
epileptic, don't use light and sound machines! DXM may actually decrease
the seizure threshold, so be very, very careful.

So-called "hemisphere synch" tapes are audiocassettes which contain
stereo sound tracks designed to induce particular brainwave patterns.
They are similar in principle to light and sound machines, but obviously
less flexible. One brand, "HemiSync", has been demonstrated to be
effective (340) (I have no affiliation with this product). You can
order hemisphere synch tapes from Tools for Exploration (1-800-456-9887).

There are a variety of "trip programs", which typically display psychedelic
graphics, morphing patterns, weird visual effects, and that sort of thing.
These are popular additions to any psychedelic experience.
A short list of them, with links to download, can be found at the following
website:
http://www.frognet.net/~dxm/trip-programs.html.

One of the more notable of these is flasher, a short DOS program
which does a fairly goo>

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ashing the
screen at you. It comes highly recommended by several DXM enthusiasts.

DXM, unlike LSD, doesn't tend to lend itself as much to trip toys. By
the time you've reached a sufficient dose to get strong psychedelic
effects, you probably won't want to move around much. However, some people
seem to enjoy trip toys with DXM, ranging from art supplies to slinkies.
I can't really offer suggestions here, except to find what you like and
have fun with it. One person reports a device called the "LSD Flight
Simulator", an inexpensive gadget, works well to induce closed-eye
hallucinations.

Most individuals who have exercised under the influence of DXM
have reported negative effects such as nausea, vomiting, cramping,
and a general loss of the more enjoyable aspects of the trip.
This seems to become more and more significant with higher doses
of DXM. The one exception seems to be swimming, which if done
on a first plateau DXM dose can be enjoyable.

DXM is an intoxicating drug, and no intoxicating drug should be
used when you are driving. Ever. If you're pulled over, the
cops will know
you are on something, as DXM strongly interferes with normal eye
movements at recreational levels. They may not know what you're
on, but they can still bust you, and even if you never get formally
charged, this is definitely not a fun tripping experience.

Not to mention, by driving (or operating heavy machinery) on DXM
you are placing yourself and potentially a lot of other people
at risk. The highways are full of enough carnage as it is, and
there's no excuse for adding to it. Quite frankly I think that
anyone who drives while intoxicated (on anything) is committing
an act of attempted manslaughter (if not murder) and repeat offenders
should be charged and tried as such. That's probably an extreme
position, but I think far too many people are willing to blame
the alcohol (or drug) for the user's arrogance and stupidity.

Many people have had the experience of going to classes drunk,
stoned, or otherwise intoxicated. Going to class on a low dose
of DXM should be fairly similar. Once probably won't hurt you,
although it certainly isn't going to help you either. Doing this
regularly is definitely bad news, as DXM will interfere with memory
when used regularly, and may cause cognitive impairment with long-term
use. High doses of DXM are even worse, since the dissociative
effects can lead to highly inappropriate behavior.
To top it off, as it becomes more difficult to judge the appropriateness
of behavior, the fear at doing something that will get you laughed
at (or worse) can make a trip turn unpleasant.

A special note for people still in high school (or younger): don't
do DXM, or any other drug, in school. Yes, school can really
suck. The classes are boring, repetitive, unchallenging, and
full of potentially useless information. The teachers are often
(but not always!) more interested in hearing you regurgitate facts
than have an original thought. The administrators generally aren't
interested in you as a person, they're interested in making sure
the school runs smoothly and that they get paid. And your peers
usually don't give a rat's ass about your feelings; they're too
busy coping with newly found hormones and playing Cooler Than
Thou. And so, I might add, are you, in all likelihood.

During this time, many students with half a brain in their heads
end up going through the usual sort of teenage existential angst
(you'll know it when you get there). This is, I think, one of
the rites of passage of today's youth, which has the potential
to liberate one from being completely under the control of what
one's peers think of as cool. It also has the potential to get
you into a lot of trouble, especially with drugs, and DXM is no
exception.

Don't get me wrong; I don't think drug use is inherently any more
or less wrong for teenagers than for adults. In practicality,
however, one needs a certain level of emotional and intellectual
(and possibly physical) maturity before responsible drug use becomes
likely. And responsible people know there are times and places
not to use intoxicating or otherwise mind-altering substances.

So in the mean time, avoid using drugs in school. Many of your
teachers and administrators will know (they may seem dumb as a
post. Don't believe it). Your grades will probably suffer, and
for all their seeming irrelevancy, good grades are really one
of the better tickets out of a life of boredom. You may also
develop a stubborn habit, as the use of a drug becomes associated
with the everyday activity of going to school. Finally, the bad
trip potential shouldn't be ignored.

As for what to do instead, well, there's no easy answers there.
Some people find fulfillment in reading Sartre and Thoreau, others
in reading X-Men and romance novels. Regular exercise really
does help, as with so many other problems in life, and it helps
one to cope with boredom and mundanity. Don't neglect your mind
either, even if your teachers do; you can be your own teacher
(and a damned good one at that). Question everyone and everything;
it's the only way to learn. And above all else, try to keep a
sense of humor; things that seem vastly important now will seem
a lot less serious in a few years.

Obviously, the same advice goes for using DXM at work. Unless your job
is considerably different than most I've ever encountered, DXM won't
help your performance and will probably seriously impair it. So unless you
want to end up unemployed, save the psychedelics for weekends and
vacations.

This issue is considerably more complex than I'd originally realized.
Generally speaking, taking a booster dose is not a good idea and probably
won't do what you want. It is possible to jump from the first
plateau to the second, and from the second to the third, with a booster
dose. However, it doesn't always work, and generally speaking you can't
sustain a given plateau (except the first plateau, although that's
difficult).

With a great degree of practice, you can probably become adept at gauging
how much DXM to take for a booster dose. However, it seems to take a lot of
practice. You'd probably be better off picking the dosage at the beginning
and sticking with it.

Besides, as the duration of the trip is extended with dose boosting or
redosing, the dysphoric aspects of the experience increase, until eventually
most people report feeling like the walking dead. Not to mention by
extending the duration of the trip you are increasing the chance for adverse
effects and brain damage.

The one exception to all this seems to be a first plateau
dose, which (with practice) can be maintained for some time, leading
to a prolonged stimulant effect. This is probably due to the
dopamine reuptake inhibiting effect of DXM (absent with DXO),
similar to that of bupropion (WellbutrinTM) or cocaine. Prolonging
this will, however, intensify the "crash" and is probably
not a good idea.

Recently someone pointed out to me that most of the psychedelic and
interesting effects of DXM seemed to go away with repeated use, and
hadn't returned. He suggested a limit of about 50 trips; i.e., you get
roughly 50 DXM trips before the magic is gone. Other people have said
similar things, although the exact number seems to vary from person to
person. A few seem to be able to use DXM repeatedly without ever losing
the more interesting psychedelic qualitiies.

There are a number of possible explanations for the "50 trip limit". Here
are a few I came up with, as well as potential solutions.

Long-lasting tolerance. Some people have noticed a tolerance of up
to a *year* to the more pleasant effects of DXM. Why this is, I
don't know; nor do I know any way to reverse it.

Disruption of enzyme systems. It is possible that the P450 enzyme
system is disrupted for long periods of time by DXM, although I
don't see why this would happen. This could last for quite some
time, potentially permanently. It's also possible that a conversion
enzyme is *induced* so that the DXM is converted to a metabolite too
rapidly. Nothing to be done about this that I know of.

State-dependent memory. When you first do DXM, you are in a
completely new and wonderful state, and you don't really "integrate"
the memories of the non-drug states (including the unpleasantness of
drinking cough syrup). As you begin to trip more and more often,
environmental cues help you to integrate the drug-state and the
non-drug-state. Eventually you will learn to associate the drug
not only with the pleasant effects but also with the unpleasantness
of taking it, something which doesn't happen early on due to
DXM's ability to inhibit memory.

Try taking DXM in a *completely* new environment and see if that
changes anything. Make sure to do a *low* dose first, though; if
there is a state-dependent tolerance, you could go way too high
accidentally if in a new environment.

Hallucinogen antidependency. This is a common phenomenon with most
psychedelics. After using any psychedelic several dozen times, the
magic is gone. It just becomes familiar territory, and with the
"wow" factor from the novelty gone, the more mundane aspects
(confusion, nausea) of the trip intrude. The solution to this, if
there is one, is to put your own "magic" into the experience by
interacting with people, trying new experiences, etc. (but
don't drive!)

Problems with an ingredient in cough syrups. It's possible that
the gut, liver, or kidneys start to have trouble metabolizing all
the gunk in cough syrups. Try using DXM extract.

Age. DXM becomes increasingly less pleasurable as one gets
older. No solution that I know of, except possibly to make
sure you are physically fit before tripping.

Brain damage. I've seen no evidence for this except with very
frequent high-dose use (e.g., third or fourth plateau several
times a week for several months); furthermore, people who do report
DXM becoming less pleasant with time haven't said it's that much
faster with high dose trips (whereas any brain damage problem
would be). Technically speaking, the damage that Olney et al found
with dissociatives is way *beyond* the fourth plateau dosage level,
and I'm not convinced that normal users would ever experience it.

Cigarettes or other drugs. If you've changed your drug-taking
habits, this may affect DXM's effects.

Some people have trouble achieving hallucinations on DXM. Here
are some suggestions that may be helpful, based on reports I have
received (note: none of this should be taken as advice in any
way; I'm just passing this along):

Place yourself in partial or complete darkness. Most
NMDA/sigma agents seem to give the best hallucinations
when there is little or no visual input.

Close your eyes. It is almost always easier to get closed-eye
visuals (CEVs) than open-eye visuals (OEVs), and DXM is no
exception.

Listen to music. Music often brings about intense visuals,
sometimes even open-eye visuals.

Mentally focus on your phosphenes - those little blips and
squiggly patterns that appear in your field of vision in darkness
(yes, everyone has them; not everyone notices). For whatever
reason, this seems to help start hallucinations.

Imagine things. This seems to help start the process in some
people.

Dose with other people and synchronize your trips.

Increase the dosage the next time you trip.

Decrease the absorption time the next time you trip. If you
are taking gelcaps, break them open. If you are drinking syrup,
drink it on an empty stomach.

Increase the absorption time the next time you trip.
Some people have reported this to be useful. For example, if
taking gelcaps, take one every 5 minutes until all are taken.

Combine with cannabis (marijuana). (Note: this is, of
course, illegal, and I advise you not to do this).

Inhale a balloon of nitrous oxide (again, this is probably
illegal, and I'm advising you against it). Warning:
one person (a regular user of nitrous oxide) reported that
this combination resulted in long-lasting peripheral
numbness.